Jarka Ruus: High Druid of Shannara, Book 1

Despite denouncing her former life as the dreaded Ilse Witch, Grianne Ohmsford still has bitter enemies within the Third Druid Council. Among the highest ranks lurk those who cannot forget her reign of terror, who covet her seat of power, and who will stop at nothing to see her deposed, or destroyed. Even Grianne's few allies know of the lots against her. But they could never anticipate her sudden, ominous disappearance in the dead of the night without a trace.

Wards of Faerie: The Dark Legacy of Shannara

When the world was young, and its name was Faerie, the power of magic ruled - and the Elfstones warded the race of Elves and their lands, keeping evil at bay. But when an Elven girl fell hopelessly in love with a Darkling boy of the Void, he carried away more than her heart. Thousands of years later, tumultuous times are upon the world now known as the Four Lands. Users of magic are in conflict with proponents of science. Elves have distanced their society from the other races. The Druid order is threatened.

The First King of Shannara: The Shannara Series, Prequel

In this prequel to The Sword of Shannara, in which many details of the Four Lands' history are revealed, Druids, horrified by the misuse of magic, have eschewed it in favor of science. But Bremen the Druid studies magic, and becomes an outcast on its account. Bremen discovers that an invincible army of trolls are fast conquering all that lay to their south. Before them come the Nazgul-like Skull Bearers, disfigured and transformed Druids who have fallen prey to the dark arts.

The Scions of Shannara: The Heritage of Shannara, Book 1

Since the death of Allanon, life in the Four Lands has drastically changed. Yet Par Ohmsford still has some power of the Wishsong. And when a message from the ancient Druid, Allanon, reaches them, Par is ordered to recover the long-lost Sword of Shinnara and the glory that once was the Four Lands....

The High Druid's Blade: The Defenders of Shannara, Book 1

Legend has it that Paxon Leah is descended from the royals and warriors who once ruled the Highlands and waged war with magical weapons. But those kings, queens, and heroes are long gone, and there is nothing enchanted about the antique sword that hangs above Paxon’s fireplace. Running his family’s modest shipping business, Paxon leads a quiet life - until extraordinary circumstances overturn his simple world…and rewrite his destiny.

Armageddon's Children: The Genesis of Shannara, Book 1

Logan Tom is doomed to remember the past and determined to rescue the future. Far behind him lies a boyhood cut violently short by his family's slaughter, when the forces of madness and hate swept our world after decadent excesses led to civilization's downfall. Somewhere ahead of him rests the only chance to beat back the minions of evil that are systematically killing and enslaving the last remnants of humanity.

Bearers of the Black Staff

Five hundred years have passed since the devastating demon-led war that tore apart the United States, leaving nothing but scorched and poisoned ruins, and nearly exterminating humankind. Those who escaped the carnage and blight were led to sanctuary by the boy savior known as the Hawk - the gypsy morph. In an idyllic valley, its borders warded by powerful magic against the horrors beyond, humans, Elves, and mutants alike found a place they believed would be their home forever.

The Black Elfstone: The Fall of Shannara, Book 1

The Four Lands have been at peace for generations, but now a mysterious army of invaders is cutting a bloody swath across a remote region of the land. No one knows who they are, where they come from, or what they are after - and most seem content to ignore these disturbing events. The only people who sense a greater, growing threat and wish to uncover the truth are society's outcasts: an exiled High Druid, a conflicted warrior, a teenage girl struggling to master a prodigious magic...and a scrappy young orphan.

Magic Kingdom for Sale - Sold!: Magic Kingdom of Landover, Book 1

Landover was a genuine magic kingdom, with fairy folk and wizardry, just as the advertisement promised. But after he purchased it, Ben Holiday learned that there were a few details the ad had failed to mention.

The kingdom was in ruin. The Barons refused to recognize the king, and the peasants were without hope.

The Red Sea: The Cycle of Galand, Book 1

When Dante Galand was just a boy, his father, Larsin, sailed away to make his fortune. And never returned. Since then, Dante has become a great sorcerer. A ruler. A destroyer of kings. And he's just learned that his father is living on a forbidden island at the edge of the known world. Where he's dying of a mysterious plague. In the company of his friend, the swordsman Blays, Dante travels to the island. There, his magic can do nothing for his father.

Spellmonger: Spellmonger, Book 1

Minalan gave up a promising career as a professional warmage to live the quiet life of a village spellmonger in the remote mountain valley of Boval. It was a peaceful, beautiful little fief, far from the dangerous feudal petty squabbles of the Five Duchies, on the world of Callidore. There were cows. Lots of cows. And cheese. For six months things went well: He found a quaint little shop, he befriended the local lord, the village folk loved him, he found a sharp young apprentice to help out, and, best yet, he met a comely young widow with the prettiest eyes.

Debt of Bones

A milestone of storytelling set in the world of The Sword of Truth, Debt of Bones is the story of young Abby's struggle to win the aid of the wizard Zedd Zorander, the most important man alive. Abby is trapped, not only between both sides of the war, but in a mortal conflict between two powerful men. For Zedd, who commands power most men can only imagine, granting Abby's request would mean forsaking his sacred duty. With the storm of the final battle about to save the life of a child....

Twinborn Trilogy Collection

Kyrus Hinterdale is about to get drawn into a conflict. His discovery that the world in his dreams is real, and that his twin within that world dreams of him, sets him off on a quest of self-discovery that could reshape two worlds. He is not alone with this special vision. Others like him had been at it far longer, working secret plots and stealing secrets from one world to take advantage in the other. Caught in the middle of an ancient conflict, Kyrus and his twin, Brannis, must discover who can be trusted, who must be watched, and who is out to kill them.

Dragonvein, Book One

Carentan, France, 1944 - Ethan Martin, a soldier in the 101st Airborne, is fighting for his life. But soon he will learn what peril truly is when he is ripped from his world and transported to a land of magic, swords, and dragons. And though the Nazis are now far, far away, danger is closer than ever.

Kindle Customer says:"Interesting Story but very light on in details."

Mutineer: Kris Longknife, Book 1

Kris Longknife is a daughter of privilege, born to money and power. Her father is the prime minister of her home planet, her mother the consummate politician's wife. She's been raised only to be beautiful and marry well. But the heritage of the military Longknifes courses through Kris' blood - and, against her parents' objections, she enlists in the Marines.

Belgarath the Sorcerer

Best-selling authors David and Leigh Eddings welcome fans back to the time before The Belgariad and The Malloreon series. Join them as they chronicle that fateful conflict between two mortally opposed Destinies, in a monumental war of men and kings and gods.

Cephrael's Hand: A Pattern of Shadow and Light, Book 1

In Alorin...300 years after the genocidal Adept Wars, the realm is dying, and the blessed Adept race dies with it. One man holds the secret to reverting this decline: Bjorn van Gelderan, a dangerous and enigmatic man whose shocking betrayal three centuries past earned him a traitor's brand. It is the Adept Vestal Raine D'Lacourte's mission to learn what Bjorn knows in the hope of salvaging his race. But first he'll have to find him....

Publisher's Summary

The danger is increasing for Grianne Ohmsford, rightful High Druid of Shannara, who has been banished to the harsh world called the Forbidding by a treasonous fellow Druid. Her only hope for rescue is her nephew Pen, but Pen is under siege as well. Both he and his parents are sought by the Druids, who want to make sure that their magic will never help Grianne to return. Yet no one but Grianne is aware that her banishment into the Forbidding allowed the simultaneous transference of a fearsome denizen of the Forbidding back into Grianne's world, an evil creature that can take on any shape, can kill at will, and is only the harbinger of a much greater, devastating invasion.

This narrator does not seem to have the experince of Scott Brick who did the first in this series. It makes it hard on the steady listener when they switch in the middle of a series. This is even worse when they switch to someone not as good as the first.

As always, Terry Brooks has managed to build new pieces into a world both dark and inviting, pieces that add to the world's magic and mystery in a way that few can. The events story as it exists has become so far removed by time and events from the first story that they're barely recognizable as being the same, but still believable as the same world nonetheless.
That said, I found the narration to be disjointed and distracting. The speaker made poor attempts at distinguishing one voice from another, and at times would shift "voices" amidst a sentence, making dialog more difficult to distinguish from the rest. He has the voice and stylings of one well-suited to children's stories, of which this is definitely not one.

Scott Brick brought me to Terry Brooks, but Terry Brooks kept me listening... this narrator does just fine. He is not Scott Brick, but few are! If you read book one, you will love the continuation, as it is not over... in fact, I will be amazed if this is concluded in one more book! As aways, a great listen!

Once Again, Terry Brooks has drawn us into the Four Lands, and now The Forbidding, with powerful images and intricate plottings. The relationships between enemies and comrades, men and nature, are well thought out and tightly constructed. I wish I could say the same for the narrator. The reading is adequate to convey the basic feelings Mr. Brooks is trying to evoke, but just barely. I found that the dramatic range of Mr. Boehmer was lacking, and he resorted to awkward voicings for inhuman charcters that were more distracting than menacing.

Scott Brick has done an outstanding job of bringing power and finesse to the world of Shannara and it's denizens thus far, and it is disappointing to lose the mental pictures of the characters that we, the listeners, have built in our minds in previous books in the series.

It is especially galling that the change in narrators has been made right in the middle of the High Druid story arc. It has taken away from the experience of this newest volume. You find yourself constantly comparing the readers instead of being drawn into the story.

If the final volume of the series, Straken, continues with the current reader, I don't see myself listening to it. I'll read the book and let my imagination do the rest.

I read the entire Shannara series years ago when first published and now listening to them on audio makes them come all alive. Can't wait to listen to the newest entries Armegeddon's Children and The Elves of Cintra.

I am a big Terry Brooks fan. I've not read the entire set of the Shannara series, but I did read the trilogy just previous to this. I've listened to both Jarka Ruus: High Druid of Shannara and book 2. Both excellent to listen to and, IMHO, much easier to follow than reading them.

I've read all the terry brooks books since being a little kid. I was entranced with sword of shannara and enthralled with elfstones. I read the entire series, but since the voyage of jerl shannara Brooks' stories have become stale and uninspired.

I find myself losing interest in the story and/or knowing what is going to happen next. I am getting a really strong feeling that all these books lately have been written just to fulfill a contract obligation and put money in the bank.

All of the characters have the same personalities, and events play out in a completely expected almost cliche way.

I read Terry Brooks all through high school and college. I hadn't seen anything recently. My father got me the 1st book in this series for mothers day and I couldn't wait to read the next book. Luckily I found this site and was able to fill my long commute listening to this wonderful 2nd book. I'm glad to see Terry Brooks can still pull me in. Very vivid details, plotlines, and twists. I didn't hear the first narrator but I think this one did just fine. I can't wait for the next book to come out!!!! This is a definate listen if you've heard/read the 1st book.

I wish that Scott Bricks had continued this series. His voice and expertise pulled me into the world of audiobooks. I agree with the previous reviews that Paul Boehmer does not sound as good as Scott Bricks but he is no slouch either... Having heard a few samples from other books (some of the sherlock holmes come to mind) I would have to say he does a fairly decent job. It would have been even better if the sequence of readers had been switched going from Paul and finishing with Scott.